Security nonsense

[Fossiili]

When I start SPWAW I always get the same message: "Override security warning and continue?". And after starting the game I have to read all the time "Security violated. Player 1 OOB file corrupt." Bouth my opponent and I are honest and fair players. Why have I to face those messages? We bouth have the same 8.403 SPWAW.

[FlashfyreSP]

Because he is using a different set of OOBs than you are. Nothing to do with the game version.

[Alby]

one of you using Enhanced maybe and the other one isnt?

[Mike Wood]

Hello...

I programmed the security nonsense. When the game was being developed, our beloved director of operations, David Heath, said that many people would be playing the game in tournaments. He instructed me to add tight security for secure play by email (PBEM) games.

So, I encrypted the saved game files and protected against:

1) Running the turn more than once, to get better results.
2) Running the game on two computers, to test on one and run on the other.
3) Running the game in two directories, to test on one and run on the other.
4) Decrypting the encoded save file and altering it.
5) Playing with differing data bases.

I provided a list of behaviors which could breach the security protocols in PBEM games in the documentation. If breached, the game would tell why and refuse to load. A host of players complained that they could not play the game and were not cheating. Well, according to the security routines, they were, because they were not following the listed protocols. The most common offense was taking the save to work and playing the game on the work computer. As playing the game on two computers was one way to cheat, I had blocked it. In a subsequent patch, I relented and changed the game so that it would load the offending save, but still inform the player some that something was amiss.

Hope that Helps You to understand why the message appeared...

Michael Wood

ORIGINAL: Fossiili

When I start SPWAW I always get the same message: "Override security warning and continue?". And after starting the game I have to read all the time "Security violated. Player 1 OOB file corrupt." Bouth my opponent and I are honest and fair players. Why have I to face those messages? We bouth have the same 8.403 SPWAW.

[Fossiili]

ORIGINAL: Alby
one of you using Enhanced maybe and the other one isnt?

Were could I get "Enhanced SPWAW" without the credit card? My wife does not allow me to have a Visa, for some reason she thinks I will lose it somewere[:(]

[Fossiili]

Thank you very much for explaining me in detail the security system.

Some time ago I tried to install Fedora Core Linux to my computer (beside WinXP). The result was that my computer chrashed totally and I had to install everything again, except SPWAW what I found on some partition and got it startting. Then before (?) I started my recent SPWAW period I deleted old SPWAW and did an ordinary WinXP installation of SPWAW in the hope getting the display look better becouse I have a new LCD-display.

Those error messages do not disturb me, becouse I know my opponent is reliable. We are boath among people in a Finnish SPWAW ladder http://personal.inet.fi/peli/spwaw/ranking.htm

According to my experiencies, these "Steel Panther" war games are not difficult to play. But they are sometimes difficult to get running in a way you wanted. They are like women, sometimes life with them is difficult, but you could not live without them! I love SP's also

[bud]

thz mike for the info ----- but could you help me out on this problem -- ( security notice ) ---been playing this game with a friend on Saturdays for the last about 8 years --- we play in the pbem - not hotseat ( dont ask why plz ) --- after about the 5 or 6 turn the sec warning pops up --- this has been starting the last about 4 years -- cant be sure -- perhaps about the 8.0 update -- not sure either -- but after reloading the complete game 15 times and 2 new computers -- ( just buying a new one ) -- removing the save - key -also before turn 5 and rebooting also - it still happens --- as a note after 10 years of this game - no problem with other pbem games --- and for the last 4 years been playing online 3 or 4 times a week --- no problem with them -- its almost seems like a memory problem in the pbem -- gets to a point and 1st the sec warning -- then in some cases while during a turn it just blanks out - or at the end of your turn -- you hit end and it did not save the turn -- got to redo the whole thing -- any idles ??

[azraelck]

ORIGINAL: Fossiili

Were could I get "Enhanced SPWAW" without the credit card? My wife does not allow me to have a Visa, for some reason she thinks I will lose it somewere[:(]
[/quote]

www.spwaw.com

You can download it for free. In fact, other than a crappy site that had a queqe, I don't think there is a pay site that Enhanced is on, and even that one was free, you just had to wait 40 days and 40 nights.

[Alby]

ORIGINAL: Fossiili

ORIGINAL: Alby
one of you using Enhanced maybe and the other one isnt?

Were could I get "Enhanced SPWAW" without the credit card? My wife does not allow me to have a Visa, for some reason she thinks I will lose it somewere[:(]

Enhanced is free as a bird ...
www.spwaw.com
[:)]

[Alby]

ORIGINAL: bud

thz mike for the info ----- but could you help me out on this problem -- ( security notice ) ---been playing this game with a friend on Saturdays for the last about 8 years --- we play in the pbem - not hotseat ( dont ask why plz ) --- after about the 5 or 6 turn the sec warning pops up --- this has been starting the last about 4 years -- cant be sure -- perhaps about the 8.0 update -- not sure either -- but after reloading the complete game 15 times and 2 new computers -- ( just buying a new one ) -- removing the save - key -also before turn 5 and rebooting also - it still happens --- as a note after 10 years of this game - no problem with other pbem games --- and for the last 4 years been playing online 3 or 4 times a week --- no problem with them -- its almost seems like a memory problem in the pbem -- gets to a point and 1st the sec warning -- then in some cases while during a turn it just blanks out - or at the end of your turn -- you hit end and it did not save the turn -- got to redo the whole thing -- any idles ??

which security warning?
there are different ones.

[bud]

hi alby -- its the same old for over 4 years now -- player 1 or 2 has corrupt files -- only after 5th turn -- ( this in on the same computer -- face to face -- in pbem mode )

[Alby]

maybe it is the "pbem" mode thats causing it?
maybe because your files never get zipped, emailed, and then overwritten by your opponents incoming files.
try 'solitare' play  Human vs Human.
never know.

[azraelck]

It may be the built-in security measures are thinking that the same player is playing his opponent's turn out ahead before sending it, to try and get an advantage of some sort. Since it never really leaves the computer, the game is detecting that and putting out a warning message. If the game plays fine otherwise, I'd ignore it, but if you can see if playing each's turns on a seperate computer eliminates the message. Or, take Alby's suggestion, and play hotseat. 

[Fossiili]

"Enhanched SPWAW" - my opponent and I we bouth have version 8.403. Is there still a more modern/better SPWAW somewhere?

[KG Erwin]

ORIGINAL: Fossiili

"Enhanched SPWAW" - my opponent and I we bouth have version 8.403. Is there still a more modern/better SPWAW somewhere?

My friend, there IS an unofficial update, which is superb. I use it, and I highly recommend it.

For more information, go to http://Spwaw.com

[Alby]

ORIGINAL: Fossiili

"Enhanched SPWAW" - my opponent and I we bouth have version 8.403. Is there still a more modern/better SPWAW somewhere?

The latest 'unoffiical' version, and it should say so on your opening screen is

SPWAW ENHANCED FV

version 8.403

[Fossiili]

ORIGINAL: KG Erwin

ORIGINAL: Fossiili
"Enhanched SPWAW" ... Is there still a more modern/better SPWAW somewhere?

My friend, there IS an unofficial update, which is superb. I use it, and I highly recommend it.

Very nice to know[:)] but unfortunately we have cup-ties starting just now and everybody must have exactly the same version so I can not change mine at the moment. Later I'll do it.

[RERomine]

ORIGINAL: Mike Wood

Hello...

I programmed the security nonsense. When the game was being developed, our beloved director of operations, David Heath, said that many people would be playing the game in tournaments. He instructed me to add tight security for secure play by email (PBEM) games.

So, I encrypted the saved game files and protected against:

1) Running the turn more than once, to get better results.
2) Running the game on two computers, to test on one and run on the other.
3) Running the game in two directories, to test on one and run on the other.
4) Decrypting the encoded save file and altering it.
5) Playing with differing data bases.

I provided a list of behaviors which could breach the security protocols in PBEM games in the documentation. If breached, the game would tell why and refuse to load. A host of players complained that they could not play the game and were not cheating. Well, according to the security routines, they were, because they were not following the listed protocols. The most common offense was taking the save to work and playing the game on the work computer. As playing the game on two computers was one way to cheat, I had blocked it. In a subsequent patch, I relented and changed the game so that it would load the offending save, but still inform the player some that something was amiss.

Hope that Helps You to understand why the message appeared...

Michael Wood

How would you warn another player someone is using a "recon" computer? Seems to me if the save file is forwarded to another computer for cheating and the PBEM file on that computer is never sent to back to the "game" computer, the opponent will never know. We discussed this in another forum and I offered solutions, but mentioned mulitiple computer play would be blocked.

tm.asp?m=1237955